My 01 Durango is the only vehicle that I have ever had that locks the doors by itself as soon as I start to roll. I hate that. I don't lock it normally, and I come out from Menards with an armload which gets dropped as I try to open the lift gate and "it won't open" because the damn thing has a mind of its own and locks itself, being as I didn't lock it, I come back not expecting it to be.

 

That's a pretty standard feature in most cars anymore. There is some combination of turning the key in the ignition and pressing the lock button on the door that toggles it. Pretty sure it's in the manual.

 

I found it in the owners manual, that procedure DOES NOT WORK. tried it several times, damn thing still locks itself, shortly after I start rolling

 

It's a safety feature. I don't think you can make it stop doing that. However, it *should* unlock the doors when you put it back in park??

 

Nope it doesn't undo when I put it in park.

 

Wonder if you could convince it to.... It unlocks the driver door, doesn't it?

 

It's definitely able to be turned off on my 99 (I keep it on though). I've only ever seen GMs unlock the doors when put into park.

 

Did you hear the single chime? This is from the 2004 Dakota manual.

Automatic Door Locks
If this feature is enabled, your door locks will lock
automatically when the vehicle’s speed exceeds 15 mph
(24 km/h).
This feature is enabled when your vehicle is shipped
from the assembly plant and can be disabled by using the
following procedure:
1. Enter your vehicle and close all doors.
2. Fasten your seat belt (Fastening the seat belt will
cancel any chiming that may confuse you during this
programming procedure).
3. Place the key into the ignition.
4. Within 10 seconds cycle the key from the OFF position
to the ON position four times; ending in the OFF position
( Do not start the engine ).
5. Within 30 seconds, press the driver’s door lock switch
in the LOCK direction.
6. A single chime will be heard to indicate the feature has
been disabled.
7. To reactivate this feature, repeat the above steps.
8. If a chime is not heard, program mode was canceled
before the feature could be disabled. If necessary, repeat
the above procedure.

Personally, I like the feature. It's nice pulling up to a gas station and knowing all doors except driver's are locked, without having to think about it. Too many creepers here sneaking into cars and stealing stuff or the car. Not that my 03' is any prize. LOL